The EU bought €709 million worth of fish from Russia in 2024, despite the war and sanctions
In 2024, the European Union imported fish products from Russia worth 709 million euros, despite the full-scale war against Ukraine and the sanctions regime.
Details
According to Euractiv, The main buyers of Russian fish in the EU were:
Netherlands
Germany
France
Poland
After processing, some of the products enter the EU market as finished goods or are re-exported to third countries.
Why imports continue
The fishing industry in Russia did not fall under the full sanctions ban. In the EU, this is explained by the risks of food shortages and possible price increases. At the same time, experts point out that revenues from fish exports directly contribute to the Russian budget.
Context.
Critics of this practice point out that it preserves imports:
undermines the effectiveness of sanctions;
creates a political dissonance between the declared support for Ukraine and the actual trade policy;
In fact, it leaves the Kremlin with a stable source of foreign exchange earnings.
In a number of EU countries, there are already calls for Extend sanctions on Russian fish products or introduce stricter control over the origin of goods.
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